Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa has lifted the lid on why he swung a shock axe on the head of Samu Saiz for the clash against Nottingham Forest as he singles out the Spaniard for special praise.
The 27-year-old had started every single one of the Whites’ Championship fixtures prior to the visit of Forest to Elland Road but found himself dropping to the bench as Adam Forshaw took his place in the attacking midfield role, coming on to play the final 25 minutes.
Speaking of the decision to take Saiz out the side, Bielsa insisted it was to manage him for the long season ahead, and stated no one brings the same balance to the Leeds team.
He was quoted by the Yorkshire Evening Post’s Lee Sobot as saying: “Samu Saiz is a great player, he is the player who can create the balance that our team needs. He is the only player in the group who can create this balance.
“Samu’s last pass is the most aggressive one we have and after having praised him like that you will ask me why doesn’t he play? He is not playing because he is going through ups and downs and things like this happen over 46 games.”
Bielsa on Saiz dropping to the bench: "Samu Saiz is a great player, he is the player who can create the balance that our team needs. He is the only player in the group who can create this balance." #lufc
— Lee Sobot (@LeeSobotYEP) November 2, 2018
Bielsa on Saiz: "Samu's last pass is the most aggressive one we have and after having praised him like that you will ask me why doesn't he play? He is not playing because he is going through ups and downs and things like this happen over 46 games." #lufc
— Lee Sobot (@LeeSobotYEP) November 2, 2018
Opinion
Leeds fans had not seen whether Forshaw was able to fill in for Saiz in the starting XI prior to the draw with Nottingham Forest but it seems as though they have their answer after Bielsa’s comments. The Spaniard is a sublime talent but obviously endures peaks and troughs when it comes to his form, and it seems as though the manager was not satisfied with how his star man, who now seems irreplaceable, had been performing. Whether Saiz returns to the team for the visit to Wigan remains to be seen, but there must be doubts rising over what happens when he is injured or suspended this season. Lewis Baker, who is perhaps the most like-for-like player, is still out with his long term injury setback, and so were anything to happen to the 27-year-old Bielsa would have a real headache as to who he puts in to fill that void. There will be plenty of fingers crossed at Elland Road, hoping that nothing does happen to their talisman in the midfield, but anything can happen in football.